BS detection

I’ve read some about about the topic of body language as it pertains to business communications and poker.  There has been much written on the topic of BS and you don’t have to look very far to find it. 

One of the biggest “tells” that you can commit is with your eyes.  Here is a very topical, Canadian example.  Our Prime Minister is in deep doodoo – he’s begging for his political career and he’s trying to suck up to any sympathetic ear that will spare him a few minutes.  Take a look at the recent newspaper photo (scan) at left of him apologizing to the Canadian people. 

Looking at this photo my impulse was, “huh?  how creepy does that look?  good lord what a scary-looking dude.”

Now one of the methods of detecting a fake smile is to read the eyes.  So the easiest way to do this with a photograph is to cover the overtly smiling part of the face (mouth and lines around the mouth/dimples etc.).  I’ve made this easy below.

Um. 

Is it just me or does he absolutely look like he isn’t smiling if you just take in his eyes.  I guess it’s not a complete mystery either – here the guy wins the election and is quickly toppled for being brash.  I can’t say as I’d be happy either. 

But if you’re in politics and in the public eye you really should be working on the real smiles – because fake ones are easy to spot, and won’t earn you the sympathy you need.